Mark, may I make a suggestion or two with regards to Adrenalin and racing in Sarnia. First, if you want to keep people coming to the races in Sarnia get a sound system that actually gives out good sound. Sarnia is the worst track in Ontario for their sound system. In the grandstand it sounds like DW swallowed the mike, and it is not much better on the tarmac. Second, have things there that will keep families entertained. Similiar to what Grand River does. There is nothing to do between races but see crusty old men smoking and complaining about how this or that driver screwed them out of their $2 bet. I have been there several times with my family to watch my horse race and have had no reason to stay for any other races. The problem is you do not cater to the families who have kids that are the future of the sport. Offer free rides in the start car, tours of the tower and paddocks etc., have contests, make every night loonie night. Stop gouging the paying customers with high prices for food. Give away the programs. Make people want to go to the races. What about making your signal available to others? Every track that races should similcast. If it means that you have to have more race dates then I guess you do it. You certainly would not see any shortcuts taken when it comes to the slots yet the horse racing side takes them all the time. Maybe the owner needs to focus more on the racing and less on the golf business next door.

Thanks for listening

Steve

This is where racing fails big time.The driver isn't the show.No one cares about the driver.People came out to see Somebeachsomewhere run,no one cared that Paul Macdonnel was driving him.

Horse racing is all about outsmarting your competition and making MONEY.The thrill isn't watching your horse cross the finish line first,it's knowing you KNEW it would.

This is a gambling game.Gamblers don't pick a driver like sports fans pick a hockey team or nascar driver.Loyalty is where the gambler places his/her bet for that race.They don't cheer that their driver/horse won,they cheer because "they" selected the winner and WON MONEY.

It's all about GAMBLING.Making MONEY

There is all kinds of documented stories on the internet of young people making a living playing poker or even millions but not ONE story of a successful harness player making a living.NOT ONE.

Try all the gimmicks you want.Your only going to insult the youth of today with your illogical non winning racing and 3/5 favorites.

Good idea. However, I will chip in a comment as to how to better engage the public. Properly train and motivate the Mutuel salespeople. They are a much overlooked factor. I can't speak for all tracks, but when I go to Rideau Carleton, the sellers are pathetic. They greet people with a scowl at the ticket counter, never smile and are generally VERY discourteous. You can't say that it's just one or two bad apples because they are pretty well all the same. The atmosphere is sullen and it has permeated through all the sellers working there.

Hire people, train them in proper customer service and have a manager on the floor overseeing them. A first timer going to the track, going up to the ticket window and encountering this type of rude customer service will not bode well for them coming back or telling friends about their positive experience at the Race Track. Do not overlook the importance of a smile and good customer service. At Rideau Carleton it is non existent.

Just wanted to let Mr. Leatham know that I've found one Miss Elizabeth impersonator for each track in Ontario, and we'll roll out the first one at Grand River. : )

I used to be one of them. When Ricky Zeron starting thowing whips in to the crowd I was giving out jackets every time I'd win a race. The crowd in Montreal loved it. I left Montreal at the same time as Rick. My nickname and has stayed forever: the cat for me and the whip for him, but down the road the publicity stunts sort of died but I'm still the cat. But my career didn't turn out as good as Ricky but the cat is still alive and hoping for this business to survive, loving it and always will...........

PS: We have kids that love this business too. I had to move to the States because racing died in Montreal and I choose my family first and went back to montreal in 2000, but now what's left of this great sport? People have to start thinking of the game before themself. Please think about that ...............

Richard the Cat Simard

The drivers are the professionals and need to focus on the task at hand,not contemplating what the post race ceremony may consist of should they win the race. I disagree totally with Mr. Hetherman and feel that his idea will only create a circus like atmosphere. Spend money on promoting the product by putting out ads in newspapers, radio and TV. Does the NAC not deserve some publicity? Lets not go too far and scare people away.

It really makes me wonder why people like you Mark, feel the need to reinvent the wheel of standardbred racing to the point where you are actually lecturing the professionals of the sport.

This isn't the WWF. It's not fake entertainment. Isn't it a little brash asking drivers to start acting like Randy the Machoman Savage or the Hulkster? Should they all have a Miss Elizabeth waiting for them in the winners circle to put on a little sideshow eh. Get real man. Zeron's Zorro bit was enough to watch, it's the only good thing the proposed whipping rules have changed so far. Strange how a little bit of good comes out of every bit of bad, isn't it.

Not every driver lives out this fantasied line of work you think they all lead, picking up the lines at the paddock exit and heading to the track like the top ten drivers on the WEG circuit sometimes do. Some drivers actually go to the track and race horses, do a nights work after already taking care of a day job. Not everyone races at WEG, not every driver is one of the top ten, most are in place because of nepotism or cronyism which ever it maybe and not all are capable of being poster boys for your fantasy club nor would they want to be.

I might be wrong young fella but I think it states in the rulebook a driver isn't allowed to enter the grandstand while a meet is in progress or prior to a card starting while dressed in their uniforms. Something you might want to check out before you throw down to many more gauntlets. The ORC might have something to say about that.

As far as Adrenaline goes well I'm not a real believer in promoting a product by keeping it on the back burner. It makes no sense to me. This side line concept of promoting harness racing you and S/C are adopting is out there, that's for sure. It might work, time will tell. Your in to deep to turn back now.

I'm quite sure your target demographic will definitely remember the races after they've drank all the shooters at the shooter contest, that's before the rock concert and that's after they've played beach volleyball all afternoon. No doubt the races will be the thing that brings them back again next year.

Whats wrong with actually advertising the tremendous stake races that already take place across the province at every race track? They all have signature events now. How many adds for the NAC did you watch on CTV, Global, CBC, or any other TV broadcasting station. How many are we going to see for the upcoming Maple Leaf Trot, or the $2,000,000. card of racing that accompanies it. None that's how many.

Can you tell me why?

Is it the drivers fault or what I'm confused.

Why isn't a two million dollar race card worth talking up or paying a newspaper of TV station to run advertisements about it?

What's wrong with paying the main stream media to entice a new fan. What's wrong with promoting horse racing as horse racing? Forget spending money on gimmick's and start spending money on PROMOTING HORSE RACING and let the drivers concentrate on driving. Stop dreaming up gimmicks. Tricks are for kids it and takes 30 bucks to buy a bottle of whisky from where I come from.

I won't like betting on some driver that is dreaming about some nice looking filly he just met in the clubhouse. When I'm betting on him. I want him focused on the task at hand. Getting my 10 to 1 shot across the board. Thanks.

Good Luck with Adrenaline. Marko, Polo, Marko, Polo.

Great idea! I usually try and send all my "newbies" in the starting gate for the experience and they all have thoroughly enjoyed their ride. We all, those of us involved in harness racing, need to be active embassadors for the sport.

Maybe the drivers could show their winning mutual tickets to the "fans " also!!